Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island close due to coronavirus outbreak
The National Park Service on Monday temporarily suspended operations at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
A date to reopen has not yet been determined, according to NPS officials.
“The health and safety of people working at and entering Liberty and Ellis Islands is our number one priority,” the NPS said in a statement. “The park is working with the NPS Office of Public Health, US Public Health Service, and state and local authorities to closely monitor the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).”
There are 950 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state, with 436 in New York City alone, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
New York City announced Monday that all schools would close until at least April 20 and that restaurants must move to takeout and delivery only.
New York state will soon be closing all of its schools as well.
The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island sit on islands in New York Harbor and are typically accessed by tourist boats from lower Manhattan and New Jersey.
The shuttering of access to the iconic statue and Ellis Island follows the closures of popular national landmarks in Washington D.C. The Washington Monument suspended elevator tours and the Smithsonian Institution closed its museums on Saturday. Arlington National Cemetery closed to visitors on Friday.
